BotTalk Reviews

Predator: The Original Screenplay adaptation by Jeremy Barlow and Patrick Blaine is still unpublished, so I have to review this gory Percy comic instead. I can make it. I can make it. Our Yautja from last issue is still obsessed with Wolverine. The trophy hunting extraterrestrial really wants Logan's mint out of package adamantium spine for his collection. If you're a collector you know what I'm talking about. Sadly, we get zero retractable claws vs retractable claws action this issue. Who will be the best there is at what they do? Do I really have to ask the question? What I did like: Wolverine is an arachnologist, he knows the sounds spiders make, knows about ticks. Impressive. Alabama ticks get mentioned. Old Painless clears the jungle once again. Sabretooth avenges Jesse Ventura. He did the former Governor of Minnesota proud. The Predator (1987) score by Alan Silvestri is still playing in my head. Maybe I should see a doctor. What I did not like: Canada. Just Canada. It...

The race continues. The Enterprise attempts to navigate through a dangerous section of 'track' while getting pummelled by lightning, solar flares and coronal ejection. Meanwhile, the ship Una is on decides to raid Enterprise, resulting in a running phaser battle on the ships hull. During the battle Aisla changes computer access, locking Pike out. At this moment, the ship Spock in on comes up from behind... and Aisla intends to destroy it. This issue was much better than the previous two. The stakes are raised and we have multiple situations going on at once. Even though Sam got KOed at least he was given something. Often times in the show it feels like they forget he exists. The art continues to be a highlight of this mini. six out of ten.

Jim Zub's miserable and interminable zombie tale of ennui ends, at last. Conan transcends the abyss soup, chills with Brule, kills a Lovecraftian creature and escapes this poorly written story arc. What I did like: A cover that features A WOMAN of the Hyborian age by Giada Marchisio!! Bound in Black Stone is done, finished. My boy, Brule, the Spear-Slayer finally appears. Collapsing structures is a very Howardian way of finishing a sword and sorcery tale. Conan Father’s Sword from the 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger film appears. The Frost-Giant's Daughter cover by Cary Nord is bitter sweet because Titan Comics are presently not adapting the stories of Robert E. Howard. It's only pastiches for now. Let's hope they change their minds and give us adaptations in the future! Nice cover by Nick Percival. What I did not like: Still no cover by British comics artist Colin MacNeil!!! No Kull of Atlantis. No Thulsa Doom. No Set Berserkers from the John Milius film! Not very clear wha...

Oh, is this still happening? Well obviously, you incomparable ignoramus! Void Rivals continues here with issue # 5. It’s Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, and Matheus Lopes’ new sci-fi comic that tells the tale of two crumbling planets linked by a “Sacred Ring” (it’s not Halo), their peoples at war for generations. When a member of each culture are stranded together, the two find they must put aside their differences if they want to survive. This story takes place in the so-called “Energon Universe”, Skybound Entertainment’s new initiative to relaunch properties like Transformers and G.I. Joe within a shared universe that also happens to include the original characters and setting of Void Rivals. Last issue, Darak and Solila found themselves both in Zertonian jail- Darak for being an enemy agent, and Solila for being suspected of showing sympathy towards him. Meanwhile, the Skuxxoid is still trying to unload his Quintesson prisoner, showing up on Cybertron and being rejected by Shockw...

The first several pages have various characters discussing Renfield and later, the dead crew of a ship. I assume they are referring to the Demeter from the novel Dracula. Lucy and Mina discus similar subjects before returning to a crazed Renfield and a sequence where a wolf stalks a woman, turns into Dracula, and attacks her. The issue ends with Renfield freaking out and a final shot of Dracula in his coffin. If you are familiar with the story of Dracula through any number of adaptations then you can easily follow this comic. It does jump around from various groups of characters. If you are looking for something intense and bloody, this isn't it. As stated, you have different characters sitting around discussing horrible events. The madness of Renfield, the murder of the ships crew. But it is not boring. The art is wonderfully done. It has the feeling of an early 90s Vertigo comic. It feels fluid and helps the conversations move along from panel to panel. seven out of ten.

Troi realizes that Armus is just another of Redjac's tricks. Also, the captives that were rescued turn out to be Holograms, the real crewmen are still being held hostage. Later, Redjac and Armus attempt to storm the bridge while Data, once again, tries to rescue the hostages. Using a map of Redjac created from when he possessed Scotty, Troi is able to dispel him. The hostages are freed and the crew celebrates Halloween in peace. I would have liked more involvement from Armus. Even though it isn't real, Armus has little impact after his shock appearance at the end of the previous issue. The battle between Redjac, Armus and the bridge crew feels much too short. I am happy that Scotty is able to be helpful, as he seemed to have little impact last issue. seven out of ten.

The fallout from Day of Blood... Sisko attends a mandatory celebration and speaks with Admiral Janeway briefly, and then Admiral Sato. T'Lir is being reassigned and Sisko is ordered to investigate a Tzenkethi build up along the Cardassian border. Sisko, Paris and Ensign Sato beam down to meet a Starfleet Intelligence operative... who turns out to be Harry Kim. The reunion is short as a group of dinosaurs attack the away team. Nice reference to Admiral Dougherty and 'Insurrection'. T'Lir, I suspect, will be back as their involvement in this book has been mysterious to say the least. Nice to see the crew get a bit of downtime and reflection after Day of Blood. The Tzenkethi have always been an interest of mine. They have been explored in a few novels but, I think, this is the first time a comic will tackle them. seven out of ten.

The monster crew must leave the Holodeck in seven minutes or face severe brain injury. Data battles the Redjac Moriarty/Borg and the monster crew manage to escape. Geordi runs to the transporter room to check on a power fault when who beams in but... Montgomery Scott! Later, the senior staff go back into the Holodeck under their monster guises. They emerge in a graveyard and battle Redjac while Data attempts to rescue the crewmen still held captive. At the battle's end, it appears Redjac is defeated but power is still being fed to the Holodeck from elsewhere. Redjac emerges... with Armus! This issue pulls out all the stops. Scotty returns to aid the TNG crew. The one TOS character who suffered the most under Redjac. We also have the unexpected return of Armus. Given how Redjac feeds off fear and terror, it will be interesting to see how the senior staff react to the being who killed one of their own. This mini continues to a fun ride. seven out of ten.

Riker and Worf struggle to hold off the Holodeck creations but Picard raises a force field, keeping them in check. Later, the senior staff watch Scotty's Redjac testimony. They are unable to release a gas that would effect the crew like what Dr. McCoy used. Dr Crusher suggests a form of role play, putting members of the crew under and assuming the role of a monster to battle the Holo monsters. Troi becomes a Mummy, Riker a Werewolf, Worf a Fishman and Picard a Vampire. The Monster Squad make their way to and engage the modified Data. Troi allows the captives Redjac took to escape. Using the old movie trope, the freed crew grab pitchforks and torches and turn on the Monster Squad. This is so much fun. Seeing the senior staff done up as monsters feels like some kind of odd TMNT toy mash-up. If you enjoy that sort of thing or dig Universal Monsters and/or Monster Squad check this out. eight out of ten.

I'm not sure why this book needed a director's cut edition. It doesn't. I imagine this is the sort of thing that will be added to the eventual trade collection of Day of Blood. So if you are interested in seeing pencils, colourless pages and the pitch proposal, maybe wait for the trade.

Explore! Explore! Repair! Repair! Review! Review! Spoilers! Spoilers! Carly and a grieving Spike Witwicky discover the Autobot Ark. The Shuttle is full to the gills with deactivated G1 Transformers. Jetfire (last seen in Void Rivals #1) arrives to reactivate Teletraan One. He chooses his long time friend Starscream to be repaired first... What I did like: A letters page! Is that the G.I. Joe Crusader Space Shuttle? Optimus Prime is using pro wrestling moves. Is Daniel Warren Johnson a sports entertainment aficionado? Yes he is and we are smelling what he's cooking and it's just too sweeeeeet. Ratchet utilizing flying kicks is actually cartoon accurate. Carly is a Frazetta Girl! The transformations are fantastically drawn. The Autobot Ark never looked this amazingly detailed. Soundwave using his shoulder batteries cannon is a rare treat. Thank you! Soundwave caring about Ravage. If you have pets, you know. Optimus Prime running towards us is very Sunbow Productions. Bravo! Opt...